Haofeng ‘Hector’ Xu’s PhD studies in aviation and aerospace engineering at MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics led him to train as a helicopter pilot. After encountering several near-miss situations, Xu decided to make helicopter flights safer and founded Rotor Technologies, Inc. in 2021. The company is retrofitting existing helicopters with sensors and software to make dangerous flights safer and expand the uses of aviation. Rotor’s autonomous aircraft are faster, carry heavier payloads, and have a longer flight duration than battery-powered drones. The helicopters are already undergoing testing near the company’s Nashua, New Hampshire headquarters.
Rotor has commercialized quickly because it uses a reliable helicopter model that’s been around for decades. The company’s focus is on building autonomy into these vehicles rather than creating new models, according to Rotor’s Chief Commercial Officer Ben Frank. The team at Rotor is largely made up of MIT affiliates. As the founder, Xu relied heavily on the expertise of fellow MIT alumni who possess advanced technical knowledge.
Rotor works with the Robinson Helicopter Company, retrofitting their helicopters after about 2,000 hours of flight time. The modifications include a “fly by wire” system that lets computers and motors interact with flight control features, as well as advanced communication and sensing tools. By leveraging Robinson’s existing supply chain, Rotor offers familiarity to its potential customers – even if the pilot’s seat is empty.
The startup also provides 24/7 supervision of flights via its system known as Cloudpilot. Rotor aims to take full advantage of reliable autonomous systems and skilled human decision-making. An important initial decision was to test flights in remote areas to avoid risk of injury to humans.
Rotor’s R550X aircraft are vastly superior to most present-day autonomous options, boasting the ability to carry over 1,200 pounds, reach speeds in excess of 120 mph, and equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks to sustain flight for extended periods. Looking ahead, Xu hopes Rotor will play a crucial role in human transportation, making flight affordable and safer with autonomous vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
While the company is planning to sell a modest number of aircraft this year, production scale-up could see between 50 and 100 aircraft produced yearly in the near future. The potential usage of these autonomous helicopters is far-reaching, from extending flying times to enabling entirely new applications such as scientific missions.
